At war's end, she was regarded as being the best minelayer in service, owing to her great radius of action (1500 miles at full speed), shallow draught and oil burning machinery. She was not without defects, however. Her speed was insufficient (even though hers was notably higher than average), she had a single drop point for her mines, she presented a big target with her high freeboard, and could not embark mines directly onto her rails aft, and forward required special low-freeboard barges to bring them alongside.{{ARTSMining1917-18|p. 12}}

At war's end, she was regarded as being the best minelayer in service, owing to her great radius of action (1500 miles at full speed), shallow draught and oil burning machinery. She was not without defects, however. Her speed was insufficient (even though hers was notably higher than average), she had a single drop point for her mines, she presented a big target with her high freeboard, and could not embark mines directly onto her rails aft, and forward required special low-freeboard barges to bring them alongside.{{ARTSMining1917-18|p. 12}}

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She re-commissioned on 11 April, 1923 for service with the Atlantic Fleet.{{NLApr25|p. 260}}

Contents

Service

In March, 1915, she and her sister were began serving with the Minelayer Squadron, then six ships strong.[6]

With the squadron being four ships in number, Princess Margaret was made flagship of the squadron, bearing a Captain (M) in February, 1916.[7] In April 1917, she would cease carrying this special designation in the Navy Lists.

In May 1919, she was the only minelayer in the Home Fleet, again bearing a Captain (M). This arrangement would persist until at least June, 1919 and possibly quite some time beyond.[8]

At war's end, she was regarded as being the best minelayer in service, owing to her great radius of action (1500 miles at full speed), shallow draught and oil burning machinery. She was not without defects, however. Her speed was insufficient (even though hers was notably higher than average), she had a single drop point for her mines, she presented a big target with her high freeboard, and could not embark mines directly onto her rails aft, and forward required special low-freeboard barges to bring them alongside.[9]

She re-commissioned on 11 April, 1923 for service with the Atlantic Fleet.[10]